West Davis Corridor project unveiled amid criticism

Looking north from Glovers Lane to I-15, FrontRunner and the Legacy Highway at far left in Farmington, Thursday, May 16, 2013. The area is proposed as a possible location for the West Davis Corridor highway.

Ravell Call, Deseret News

Summary

The Utah Department of Transportation has completed the environment study for the controversial West Davis Corridor project. On Thursday, the agency released the Environmental Impact Study for a proposed 24-mile expansion of Legacy Parkway.

“We have very seriously considered these alternatives and made our recommendation. We know it affects thousands of lives and affects the environment as well, so we want to get it right.”

Randy Jefferies, UDOT project manager

KAYSVILLE — Forty-six options were narrowed to two. Those two were narrowed to one. And now the plan for a 24-mile expansion of Lagacy Parkway in Davis County is under scrutiny with the Thursday release of a UDOT study measuring its impacts.

The Parkway would extend from Centerville to Marriott-Slaterville in western Weber County between the Great Salt Lake and I-15. UDOT's preferred option is the Glovers Lane route, extending from Farmington in Davis County to 4100 West in Weber County, a plan state officials said provides the fewest harmful impacts.

But civic leaders in Davis County are concerned the recommended route will provide little advantage for their community. And others blast the plan as shortsighted when a comprehensive transportation plan would serve the communities better.

Farmington Mayor Scott Harbertson said because the proposed option offers no convenient access through his city, the project would likely be detrimental.

“It does nothing for Farmington,” he said. “It just becomes a major highway through our city. It does not give us any benefit or advantage whatsoever.”

He said his community would be better served by the option that utilized Shepard Lane to the north rather than Glovers Lane.

“That would have been great access. Easy on, easy off,” he said. “It would have alleviated traffic concerns on Park Lane. But if you’re travelling southbound on the West Davis Corridor (as recommended), you bypass Farmington.”

Harbertson said he is a proponent of the corridor and said the highway is needed. “But what we were fighting and hoping for was a little more benefit for Farmington,” he said.

UDOT released the Draft Environmental Impact Study with the expectation of getting plenty of feedback during the required 90-day comment period. A final decision is expected by spring 2014.

Among the impacts:

The new route would require that 26 households be relocated, as well as five businesses. An additional five residences and an additional business could also be relocated, the UDOT plan indicates.

The suggested route would impact 110 acres of prime farmland and 52 acres of high-quality wetlands.

Cost or the project is an estimated $587 million. Funding for the project would come from either federal highway funds or could be funded using state monies.

“Currently, there is no funding for construction,” Randy Jefferies, UDOT project manager for the West Davis Corridor, said, noting the project could be constructed in phases. Completion of the project depends on funding.

Jefferies said the preferred alternative has some clear advantages in serving the greatest volume of traffic and providing the most effective interchange with I-15 and Legacy Parkway.

The plan also has the lowest level of impact on homes, farmland and businesses compared to the other alternatives, Jefferies said.

“This alternative has minimal impact to high quality wetlands and meets all air quality standards set by the (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency),” he said. “Overall, this alternative met the transportation needs the best with the least overall level of impact.”

He said the population along the corridor is expected to grow from 150,000 people to 250,000 people by 2040 with the number of homes in the area expected to double during the period.

He said without the West Davis Corridor project, traffic congestion during that period is anticipated to grow 375 percent. The Glovers Lane alternative would reduce congestion by 60 percent, making a significant impact, he said.

Popular Comments

Ridiculous. EIS never take reality into account. This proposal violates
fundamental principles of regional planning and will have negative economic
impacts by bypassing the most logical junction. Furthermore, the 2040
projections are wrong
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11:15 p.m. May 16, 2013

Top comment

Brahmabull

sandy, ut

I love how all of the cities and counties allow construction companies to build
houses upon houses upon developments upon developments because it brings them
money, and they do all of this BEFORE considering if there can be enough
transportation
More..

11:20 a.m. May 17, 2013

Top comment

toosmartforyou

Farmington, UT

Farmington officials would have done well to ask Shepard Lane area residents for
their input instead of just demading it be there and not Glover Lane. Kaysville
didn't want Shepard Lane. So maybe Farmington ought to be more inclusive
and not
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Jasen Lee is a journalist for Deseret News/KSL reporting primarily on business, technology and utilities. Having started in radio, he has reported at KCPW and Metro Networks in Utah as well as WTMJ in Milwaukee and WMAY in more ..